The consolidation of four of Jones County’s voting precincts into two was on the agenda at the Board of Commissioners meeting last week.

Election Superintendent Marion Hatton approached the board members about the change at the May 21 meeting. She said she had been considering merging the precincts for some time and now is the time.

Hatton said the Sanders and White precincts contain voters from both Districts 1 and 2. Sanders has 159 eligible voters and would merge with the existing Finney precinct, and White with 310 voters would merge with Barron. She said to keep those two precincts open each Election Day costs $600. In 2008 there were six elections, and that cost the county an additional $7,800.

“My goal is to reduce my budget,” the superintendent said.

Hatton said she would hold public hearings in June and then send the proposal to the Justice Department for approval. She said voters would be notified by mail.

Commissioner Larry Childs asked about voters in the Union Hill neighborhood, and Hatton said they would be within five miles of their new precinct.

“I think I can satisfy most people by giving them a choice of where they want to vote,” she said.